Charting the internet pop world one blog post at a time.

Lots of songs on the rise will change the top songs in the next month or so, and there are three debuts 🙂

The Top 10

Bright Light Bright Light’s “New York Pretty” leads the chart for a 4th appearance (8th week). He has done this before THREE TIMES with “Love Part II” in 2010, “Waiting For The Feeling” in 2012, and “An Open Heart” in 2013/14. “New York Pretty” is tied with The Chainsmokers and Coldplay’s “Something Just Like This” for most time at the top in 2017. and BLx2’s Billboard Dance Club Play hit “Into The Night” (below) climbs 10-8 this week too!

Staying at #2 for a second appearance is Toronto’s Loud Luxury with Nikki’s Wives and the catchy bass sounds of “Show Me”. Both groups are touring with Nikki’s Wives bowing in London, Ontario this week.

The fastest riser on the chart belongs to Mahalo and Cat Lewis, obtaining their third Top 5 song on the chart with “Perfect” vaulting 15-4. It will battle with “Show Me” and CVBZ’s “Be Like You” (#3) for #1 in two weeks. Mahalo and Cat Lewis hit the Top 5 earlier this year with “Be My Love” (#5) and “WTFYWF” (#3), and their other recent collaboration of “Heaven” (below) continues to climb 19-13!

Toronto’s Dan Talevski collects his third Top 5 song on this chart with the endless fun of “Birthday Suit” climbing 9-5. “Guilty As Sin” got to #3 in 2015, and it was followed by “My Religion” (#5).

L.A.’s Lauv will be touring with none other than Ed Sheeran in Asia very soon, as “I Like Me Better” continues to make new friends and rises 12-9.

Those of you who enjoy the new mystery band Terror Jr. will have a chance to catch Iowa’s Kid Froopy as the opening act on their tour. The Kid’s exceptionally produced “Drive Slow” moves up 14-10.

Movin’ On Up

Matthew Koma’s “Suitcase” breaks loose from lower chart numbers and soars 17-12 and is headed for the Top 10.

The Florida-based Tipsy label’s partnership with Epic Oslo is working with stellar new songs like “No Love In Brooklyn”, which has a great singalong chorus. It’s by French producer Nick Peters paired with American Frank Pierce and with vocals by American Scott Vega, climbing 20-14.

“Gold” by Ricky Remedy and John.k rises a big 26-16, thanks to slick production and amazing vocals by John.k. In fact John.k has already followed it up with a new song “OT”, which you can hear below.

What more can I say about the songs from Carlos Nobrega’s The Art Of Making Love? A dedicated following has provided him with great chart numbers in Europe and has sent so many new visitors to this blog, over 80,000! The charge started with “You (It’s All About You)” (above), the blog post of which is now my 3rd most viewed – but the blog post for the album is now most viewed at over 36,000 views!! The song climbs 27-18, as a new instrumental from Carlos’ other project, Almageddon is released, “Almageddon: Madrid”. This time it’s accompanied by a picturesque video of the famous city where he lives. It debuted at #1 on the Spanish new age chart this past week. Check it out below.

The melodic but crazy dubstep of “Anesthetic” by San Diego’s Convulsic moves up 28-22.

Three Debuts

A new current favourite of mine that blends in contemporary electronic dance sounds with early 90’s classic house is “Need Your Heart” by Australia-based British producer Latchmere, from his debut indie EP Lovedrunk. It bows at an impressive #23, ahead of some major major names and deserves your support 🙂

Sam Smith has such an amazing voice even if “Too Good For Goodbyes” as a song is weaker than some of his past hits, nonetheless it premieres at #26. Sam has got to #1 here four times, all in 2014, with “Money On My Mind”, “Stay With Me”, “I’m Not The Only One”, and his collaboration with Disclosure on “Latch”. The video arrives tomorrow!

Arriving on the chart for the first time is multi-Grammy winner Skrillex in collaboration with producer/songwriter Poo Bear (aka Jason Boyd), who co-wrote many songs on Justin Bieber’s Purpose album as well as classics like 112’s “Dance With Me” and Usher’s “Caught Up”. The free download remix by scrvp. of “Would You Ever”, which gives the vocals and song an entirely different effect from the original, arrives at #27.

View the full BILLCS Top 30right here, and be sure to click on the photos to hear all of the songs.

Listen to the BILLCS Top 30 Songs on Spotify! Click on this link to take you there, and follow me on Spotify:BILLCS Top 30 Songs

Some of my favourite songs of the year continue to appear on this latest chart, which makes ranking them – which is totally subjective here, there’s no formula! – very difficult. As a result some may end up ranking higher on the year end chart than other songs which peak at the same position. Enough chart geekery, it’s another busy chart with four debuts!

The Top 10

“New York Pretty” by Bright Light Bright Light currently has an incredibly tight lock on #1 – may have to wait for another chart to see who might be coming next!

With that in mind, Toronto’s Loud Luxury and Nikki’s Wives make a strong case for #1 as “Show Me” is the fastest riser two charts in a row. Loud Luxury were already up top earlier this year with Ryan Shepherd on their amazing redux of Craig David’s “Fill Me In”, so is a second consecutive #1 in order? 🙂

I second all of the emotions in CVBZ’s lyrical “Be Like You”, which in its Sean Turk ‘bedroom bass’ remix climbs 6-3.

Dan Talevski acquires his 4th Top 10 hit on this chart with the fun and contagious “Birthday Suit”, which rises 11-9. Dan has just wrapped an EP which is coming soon!

He’s at the top of the chart but also at #10 – Bright Light Bright Light’s latest Top 40 Billboard Dance Club Play hit is “Into The Night”, and with its companion video to “New York Pretty” moves up 15-10.

Movin’ On Up

A song called “I Like Me Better” has all the potential for being cloying and annoying, but singer/songwriter Lauv has managed to make it cool and clever all at once, which is why is climbs 18-12. Why American radio is not all over this song yet is totally beyond me!! I’ve given up asking about things like this and radio.

Iowa’s Kid Froopy has landed the opening act slot on Terror Jr.’s upcoming tour and most dates are already sold out. The Kid also has an EP in the works, but for now you can indulge in his delightfully quirky and immensely appealing single “Drive Slow”, rising 20-14.

One of the grittiest songs for the wee hours on the chart is the latest from L.A.’s Mahalo in his pairings with singer Cat Lewis on “Perfect” (above), which jumps 21-15. Yes folks, all of the vocals in the song are by the elusive Mr. Lewis. The duo are also up 22-19 with the soulful club-pleaser “Heaven” (below).

Matthew Koma’s beautiful “Suitcase” – an older song of his which has finally seen release – continues to move up, this time 19-17. It’s one of a few solid songs that is stuck in a bit of a jam which may break loose in two weeks.

“No Love In Brooklyn” could be seen as a song associated with the end of summer relationships with some great, memorable lyrics. It’s brought to you by producers Nick Peters, who hails from France, and American Frank Pierce, along with US singer Scott Vega. It wastes no time charging 25-20.

Bobby Nourmand’s second match-up with vocalists DOC and Goodmorning, following the #1 “D E E P in NY”, is the infectious “MIND” which rises 28-23.

4 Debuts

I’m absolutely loving the collaboration of one of our favourite young Dutchmen, Steve Void, and American duo Syence, in the heartwarming “We Won’t Leave You”. Its universal message of love and support is very welcome, and the guys manage to give the song a choral effect along with the electronics which bring it home. The highest debut, “Leave” bows at #25.

Debuting on the chart is a powerhouse duo from Florida, Grammy-nominated producer Ricky Remedy with compelling new vocalist John.k and “Gold”. This one will dazzle you with its restrained, on-point production and amazingly versatile vocals by John.k. “Gold” arrives at #26.

Carlos Nobrega’s new album The Art Of Making Love has brought over 50,000 – you read that right! – visitors to these blog pages – totally amazing! All of the wait for new music for Carlos was teased out with 4 preceding singles, including “You (It’s All About You)”, which premieres at #27. It’s already at over a million plays on Soundcloud. Carlos has took over this chart before, back in 2012 with “Music Makes You Lose Control (MMYLC)”, which also appears in The Art Of Making Love.

San Diego dubstep producer Convulsic is back after a 3 year absence from this chart with the dirty and dynamic instrumental “Anesthetic”, which debuts at #28. This one will leave you a little more than shaken ‘n stirred! It follows Convulsic’s 2014 Top Tenners here “Love Space” (#5) and “The Day You Left” (#7).

View the full BILLCS Top 30right here, and be sure to click on the photos to hear all of the songs.

Listen to the BILLCS Top 30 Songs on Spotify! Click on this link to take you there, and follow me on Spotify:BILLCS Top 30 Songs

The new chart marks one of my favourites this year, with so many songs on the rise that will do very well, plus three new entries to add to the influx of great tunes 🙂

The Top 10

It is now very resolute that “New York Pretty” (above) by Bright Light Bright Light isn’t going anywhere any time soon as it holds at #1 for a second appearance. Its companion song and video, “Into The Night” (below) soars 26-15 as BLx2 himself commutes back and forth between the UK and the US performing live and DJ gigs. He’s also been added to UK dates as the opening act for Erasure on their upcoming tour – what a perfect match!!

Axel Mansoor’s “Out Of My Head” (above) stays put at #2 for a 4th appearance (8 weeks), while former #1 “Wasted My Love” departs the chart. But I will leave you with a lively remix of that song, below, by Dulsae which totally catches its vibe.

Also in the new remixes department, you can pick your fill of seven for “There For You” by Martin Garrix and Troye Sivan, including one by Toronto’s own Dzeko 🙂

“Bad Drug” by Cosmos & Creature rises 6-4 as new collaborations and singles from the talented duo of Brandyn Burnette and Molly Moore keep on comin’ this month!

The retro R&B groove of Anton’s “L.I.L.Y.” (like I love you) is irresistible, as the song climbs 8 to 5 for the Swedish pop singer.

Oregon’s CVBZ gets his first Top Tenner here with “Be Like You” in its Sean Turk remix, wasting no time by rising 12-6. It’s Sean’s third ‘bedroom bass’ remix in the Top 10, following last year’s “Closer” by Brandyn Burnette (#7) and this year’s “Sleeping In” by Phil Good (tying its #6 peak). CVBZ played the Billboard Hot 100 festival over the past weekend 🙂

Another newcomer to the Top 10 is England’s Sean Smith whose magnificent song “Magic” climbs 11-8 in its Andy Sikorski remix.

The fastest riser, and perhaps #1 contender, rounds out the Top 10. It’s “Show Me” by Toronto’s Loud Luxury (recently gigging in Las Vegas with Martin Garrix) and Nikki’s Wives, flying up the chart 22-10. Loud Luxury recently got to #1 with their redux of Craig David’s “Fill Me In” with Ryan Shepherd.

Movin’ On Up

Can’t get enough of Dan Talevski’s fun and lighthearted “Birthday Suit” right now as it rises 14-11.

Toronto quartet Blajk gave one of my favourite club shows of 2017 almost two weeks ago in their home town at The Drake Hotel with a stunning performance that recalled The Killers when they first began. All eyes were on singer Jordan Radics as he sang songs like “Gunshot”, which jumps 20-14 (and ironically leaps over “The Man” by The Killers at #17!).

I’m gonna call it now – feel good song of the year. It’s “I Like Me Better” by L.A. singer/songwriter Lauv, also now a national chart hit in Sweden. So USA, I think you are missing out! “I Like Me Better” moves up 27-18.

Keep your ears peeled for more from Iowa’s Kid Froopy – concert dates are in the works! “Drive Slow” is one of those great songs for a lazy day with a funky vibe to keep those feet tapping. It climbs up 30-20.

Three New Entries

At #21 is the FOURTH chart entry so far this year for L.A.’s Maholo and go-to-vocalist Cat Lewis, with “Perfect” (above). This one is to be played loud in the wee hours as Cat’s vocals are shifted and played with and then in perfect harmony with each other. “Perfect” sneaks in right above their prior release, the soulful “Heaven”, which moves up 25-22. Their other two chart entries this year were “Be My Love” (#5) and “WTFYWF” (#3).

First timers to the chart are French producer Nick Peters along with American producer Frank Pierce and featuring vocalist Scott Vega for the telling and bittersweet “No Love In Brooklyn” at #25. This one has an unmistakable melody and a great singalong chorus which you need to check out.

Just as his song “D U S T” (which peaked at #5) is about to finish its run, along comes another new one from Bobby Nourmand. Reprising his collaboration with soul and hip hop vocalists DOC and Goodmorning from his #1 “D E E P in NY”, “MIND” and its catchy chorus bow at #28.

View the full BILLCS Top 30 right here, and be sure to click on the photos to hear all of the songs.

Listen to the BILLCS Top 30 Songs on Spotify! Click on this link to take you there, and follow me on Spotify:BILLCS Top 30 Songs

My final week of vacation begins with a new chart, and the Top 10 gets turned inside out a bit as a new #1 leads the pack.

The Top 10

Bright Light Bright Light gets his 6th #1 on my chart since 2010 with the spectacular “New York Pretty”. And he also has one of four debuts on the chart with a second song from the Tales Of The City EP with “Into The Night” (below) at #26. Both videos are stellar, heartwarming, and important statements about loving yourself and self-empowerment. “New York Pretty” was preceded at #1 by BLx2’s 2010’s “A New Word To Say” and “Love Part II”, 2012’s “Waiting For The Feeling”, 2013’s “An Open Heart”, and 2014’s “I Believe”. He ties Simon Curtis with most #1’s on the chart – though one of Simon’s songs, “8bit Heart”, got to #1 twice in two different versions.

If “New York Pretty” had lagged behind by two weeks, then Axel Mansoor would have got a second #1 with “Out Of My Head”, but it has to settle for a 3rd appearance (6th week) at #2. More to come thought from this great new singer/songwriter!

Martin Garrix gets back-to-back Top 5 songs on the chart as his pairings with Troye Sivan and Brooks, “There For You” (above) and “Byte” (below), climb to #4 and #5 respectively. All of Martin’s songs that have appeared in the chart have reached the Top 5, with two, “Animals” and “Proxy”, getting to #1 in 2014.

Cosmos & Creature continue to be one of the most prolific pairs in music today, either through creating their own work or collaborating with others. Their most recent single “Bad Drug” climbs 8-6.

Like Martin Garrix, every song that has appeared for Anton Ewald on this chart has reached the Top 10. The sinfully catchy and funky “L.I.L.Y.” (like I love you) keeps it going by moving 12-18.

The last new entry into the Top 10 is a first for Florida’s Tipsy label. Danish producers Boye & Sigvardt and singer Uhre, as well as Scottish producer MAGNÜS leap 13-10 with the infectious and engaging “Astronauts”, with remixes now available.

Movin’ On Up

“Magic” by UK singer Sean Smith, in its classic house Andy Sikorski mix, is headed for the Top 10 as it climbs 15-11.

The fastest riser on the chart is the last chart’s highest debut by Oregon’s CVBZ with “Be Like You”. In its ‘bedroom bass’ Sean Turk remix, “Be Like You” bounds 20-12.

In a common theme with this week’s chart – some excellent videos, starting with those by Bright Light Bright Light above – the colourful and sexy visuals for Dan Talevski’s “Birthday Suit” all came to life recently and a really great time was had by all. “Birthday Suit” climbs 19-14.

The Killers announced their latest stadium tour as their single “The Man” continues to rise 21-18, feeling very much like when the band arrived in 2004. It’s from their upcoming 5th album Wonderful Wonderful.

Toronto’s Blajk makes its first appearance since playing the NXNE festival in June. The quartet rocks The Drake Hotel on Thursday August 10, and new single “Gunshot” rises 24-20.

“Suitcase” marks Matthew Koma’s 10th appearance on this chart since 2012, and it moves up 26-21.

The Remaining 3 Debuts

The highest debut on the chart at #22 is “Show Me” by Toronto production duo Loud Luxury featuring fellow Torontonians Nikki’s Wives. If you haven’t yet caught the fun video, Ron Jeremy stars in his second appearance in recent years – remember the video for Armin van Buuren & Trevor Guthrie’s “This Is What It Feels Like”, which got to #6 on my chart in 2013?

One of the most aimiable songs of late is an independent release that has suddenly become a national hit in both Canada and the UK – we’re waiting on YOU, USA! American singer/songwriter Lauv arrives at #27 with “I Like Me Better” – check out both the original above and Canadian producer Famba’s recent remix below.

The final debut is one of the most unique songs of 2017. Its video was released last week and is a travel ode to Los Angeles. Iowa’s Kid Froopy precedes his upcoming EP with the single “Drive Slow” which bows at #30.

View the full BILLCS Top 30 right here, and be sure to click on the photos to hear all of the songs.

Listen to the BILLCS Top 30 Songs on Spotify! Click on this link to take you there, and follow me on Spotify:BILLCS Top 30 Songs

“New York Pretty” is already one of Bright Light Bright Light’s very best songs to date, complete with glorious New York City travelogue video too. So a few weeks later, along comes its companion piece, “Into The Night”, also from BLx2’s latest EP Tales Of The City. And it indeed is another one where NYC chews up the scenery with both familiar and remote places. The song, like “New York Pretty”, is as contemporary disco as there is any, similar rhythmically to, say, the earlier “Disco Moment”, but in a much happier place lyrically. And Rod Thomas and his creative partners make it abundantly clear as they add romance and affection into the mix, making it an equally grand video as “New York Pretty”. “Into The Night” is definitely about finding yourself content in that much happier place and with someone you know to whom you can return home and find open arms waiting for you. How can it be, you might ask, to come up with something so simple as one of the best stories of the year in a video? Check it all out at the link above.

My annual vacation (with upcoming trip to NYC) begins with a busy chart that has no less than SIX debuts to feast your new music ears on 🙂

The Top 10

It’s going to be hard to say what will happen in two weeks in terms of what will be #1, so we’ll just have to wait and get there. In the meantime “Attention” by Charlie Puth (above) anchors the top spot, while “Out Of My Head” (below) by L.A. indie singer/songwriter Axel Mansoor follows up his #1 “Wasting My Love” (now #14) with a second appearance at #2.

The fastest riser on the chart, with little surprise, is “New York Pretty” by Brooklyn resident Bright Light Bright Light, his most personal and engaging song in a long time, from his new EP Tales Of The City. It’s a fitting club-worthy soundtrack for my upcoming time in NYC, and soars 16 to 3. Like his biggest Billboard club hit to date, “All In The Name”, “New York Pretty” has an NYC/Broadway vibe about it, helping make it an individual celebration about being surrounded by an amazing city.

There are new peaks for “Silent Games” by Lars Beck & Henri Purnell featuring Zekt (above), and “D U S T” by Bobby Nourmand (below), which climb to #4 and #5 respectively.

Also new to the Top 10 is Cosmos & Creature with “Bad Drug” and its anthemic hook taking it 11-8.

And the last new Top 10 entry is the sax-filled Saxena remix of “Darlin'” by Welcome To The Hotel featuring vocalist Brandon Serafino. Producer duo Saxena have renamed themselves Revelries, so more to come under the new moniker! “Darlin'” climbs 12-10.

Movin’ On Up

Top 10 bound is the insanely catchy club banger “Astronauts” by Danish duo Boye & Sigvardt collaborating with fellow Denmark denizen Uhre on vocals, and Scottish producer MAGNÜS. That’s quite a collective and it all meshes into something quite unique and worthy of your attention! It moves up 18-13.

UK singer Sean Smith, ex of Same Difference, has a real grower with “Magic”, finding its way on to a variety of playlists. In its Andy Sikorski remix, the song rises 20-15 for enduring UK dance label Energise.

I’ll be very interested to see where the entertainment biz will take singer/actor Reeve Carney after his tour supporting his album Youth Is Wasted. The fine vocalist climbs 19-16 with the bluesy R&B tones of “Truth”. Always good to watch him on big or small screen too!

While long-lasting “I Wonder” departs the chart, The Him are back in the Top 20 with their latest “Secrets”, featuring an engaging and soulful vocal by L.A.’s Cub Rayan, and it jumps 23-18.

Toronto’s Dan Talevski continues to tease us on social media about his upcoming video for the delightfully naughty “Birthday Suit”, which climbs 25-19.

SIX Debuts

A couple of longer lasting songs from the Spring have lingered enough to make their chart debuts among a six-pack!

The lyrics of L.A.’s CVBZ do get under your skin, and the pumped up remix of “Be Like You” by Sean Turk helps get it to a #20 debut. It’s from the three-song RMXZ EP. CVBZ will appear in concert at the Billboard Hot 100 festival in August! Check out the video below as well.

Progressive EDM/rock duo Lemaitre hail from Norway but are currently based in L.A. Their new album Chapter One contains the dubstep/trap-influenced single “Higher”, featuring a highly complimentary vocal by EDM mainstay Maty Noyes. It’s Lemaitre’s chart debut at #22.

Following up “Lethal” (which peaked at #6) from their EP Limited is Toronto quartet Blajk, back on the chart with the equally catchy “Gunshot” at #24.

One of the best mostly-instrumental albums I’ve heard in a long time is Imprint by Austin producer/guitarist Cloudchord. It’s a flashy mix of EDM, rock and jazz and from it is “Lacuna”, featuring SunSquabi, which arrives at #25. Cloudchord previously appeared on the chart with his unofficial remix of Jamie xx’s “Loud Places” (which reached #15), which unfortunately is no longer available.

“Suitcase” marks the 10th appearance on my chart by Matthew Koma, as a lead or featured vocalist, but his first since his collaboration with The Knocks on 2015’s “I Wish (My Taylor Swift)” (#3) – and I understand both artists are working on another song together 🙂 “Suitcase” is also a song you may have heard years ago – there is a live clip online of Matthew performing it for his former label. It bows at #26.

The chart has a new #1 and a high-flying debut to watch in the coming weeks!

The Top 10

“Attention” by Charlie Puth slides in at #1 as the title for his upcoming second album has been announced: Voice Notes. The song’s slick bassline and honest delivery made it a sure thing for the top of my chart. Like many of you, I hadn’t known of Charlie Puth till I heard “See You Again”, but he’s a stadium concert headliner in the making 🙂 Catch him on tour opening for Pickering, Ontario native Shawn Mendes (below), who also arrives at #10 this week with “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back”.

While Axel Mansoor had to give up the top spot held by “Wasted My Love” during June, he glides to #2 with its follow up, “Out Of My Head”. Like “Wasted”, “Head” is a free download, as are many songs in the upper reaches of this chart 🙂

When you can sing a good, interesting story, it resonates and stays in your head. Such is the case with “Silent Games” as sung by Hawaiian singer Zekt, and produced by Germany’s Lars Beck and Henri Purnell. It soars 11-5.

Right behind “Silent Games” is Bobby Nourmand’s summer song “D U S T”, which climbs 10-6. Bobby has new music coming very soon for Potion Records once again, so you will know where to read about it!

The third entry into the Top 10 is “Byte” by Dutchmen Martin Garrix and Brooks. It’s a feisty instrumental that doesn’t let up and is accompanied by a flashy video. “Byte” rises 12-9.

Movin’ On Up

Cosmos & Creature – Brandyn Burnette and Molly Moore to you and me – appear to be on deck for their first Top 10 as a lead artist under this project name with the engaging “Bad Drug”, which sails 17-11. The duo got to the Top 10 (#7) as a featured artist on Vicetone’s “Bright Side” last year. We need to see C&C more on the east coast please!!

Sweden’s Anton Ewald is also heading for the Top 10 – where all of his charted songs have landed in the past, but as high as #2 – with “L.I.L.Y.”, or “like I love you”, promoted by a video that is all Anton. The song’s obvious Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake influences are more inspiring rather than obvious borrowings. “L.I.L.Y.” moves up 20-14.

Martin Garrix’s second entry shows the best of his pop side, and with Troye Sivan on vocals for “There For You” it’s taken to another level entirely. It’s his best ‘pop’ single to date, aside of course from “Animals”, and charges up the chart 22-15.

“Astronauts” is one of the catchiest and most energetic songs of the year, EDM or otherwise. It’s brought to you by a wide collaboration of three Danes and a Scot: Boye & Sigvardt & MAGNÜS – the lone Scot – featuring vocalist Uhre. It leaps 23-18.

The fastest riser on the chart is a classic house remix with an equally classic piece of storytelling to make it all gel. I’m talking about former Same Difference member Sean Smith’s “Magic”, which in its Andy Sikorski remix, soars 28-20.

You can now check out the video to The Killers’ latest single “The Man”, which moves up 27-24.

Three New Entries

He’s back and stronger than ever, a fixture on the BILLCS Top 30 these past 7 years, Bright Light Bright Light. Following his album Choreography, he’s just released his second EP as well in 2017, Tales Of The City, which is a huge warm musical hug for NYC and to anyone who feels they are simply not good enough for even themselves 🙂 And he’s given the city a new theme song, “New York Pretty”, with a vibrant video that makes the package a full circle. BLx2 has already had 5 #1’s on this chart, will “New York Pretty” be his next one? It arrives out of the gate at #16.

While previous single “I Wonder” still hangs in at #28, Dutch duo The Him are back with another impressive single, the R&B-flavoured “Secrets”, featuring a glistening vocal by L.A. singer Cub Rayan. It bows at #23.

After enticing us with thoughtful but sultry singles like “Guilty As Sin” and “My Religion” in 2015, Toronto’s Dan Talevski is back with the fun and light-hearted “Birthday Suit”. Debuting at #25, we’ll have to see if the upcoming video is saucy or playful or a bit of both 🙂

View the full BILLCS Top 30right here, and be sure to click on the photos to hear all of the songs.

Listen to the BILLCS Top 30 Songs on Spotify! Click on this link to take you there, and follow me on Spotify:BILLCS Top 30 Songs

Being a huge fan of Bright Light Bright Light – singer/songwriter/producer Rod Thomas – since 2010’s “A New Word To Say”, and having seen the singer in concert in NYC in 2013, Bright Light Bright Light has made one of his very best songs yet with “New York Pretty”. Since he came to reside in NYC part-time for the last number of years, I’ve always been drawn to Rod’s enthusiasm for the city, which parallels my own when I visit. So this Wales-born singer has created a new, contemporary theme song for NYC for those inspired (as Rod has revealed) by the likes of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Kylie Minogue, and the Bette Midler/Lily Tomlin movie “Big Business” – and for you and me, likely any similar personal blend of joyous entertaining eccentricities. In the video, Rod takes us on his own tour through some of the best views of NYC outside of a Woody Allen movie. “New York Pretty” is endearing, emotional, and sure to put a smile on your face and a kick in your heels. It’s from Rod’s upcoming third 2017 EP “Tales Of The City”, which you can pre-order on iTunes.

In one of the stranger coincidences in 2017, “Run With Us”, the late 80’s theme song to a Canadian kids’ TV program – which ran from 1985 to 1992 and itself followed a series of full length animated features starting in 1980 – shows its enduring effects! It gets a new lease on life with two new reverent cover versions of the Lisa Lougheed original (a minor Canadian hit which I know very well and peaked at #69 nationally in 1988, below), one by none other than Bright Light Bright Light, and the other by those cool UK wordsmiths and purveyors of pop, Spray.

Bright Light x2 (aka Rod Thomas) just released his EP Cinematography 2: Back In The Habit, a gloriously curated 6-pack of cover versions, including Madonna’s “Causing A Commotion”, Starship’s “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now”, and Lisa Loeb’s “Stay (I Missed You)” – as well as “Run With Us”. Rod’s rendition could have easily competed with the original in the 80’s, definitely intended as a loving interpretation that was obviously something important to him when he was much younger, and has stuck like glue through adulthood. Needless to say, it’s great!

Spray, the duo of Jenny McLaren and Ricardo Autobahn whose music I have also written about a number of times, actually covered “Run With Us” back in 2007 for their album Children Of A Laser God. With impeccable timing – there is apparently a 2017 “Raccoons Dance” or something like that in the works by original TV show creator Kevin Gillis – they’ve brought their enthusiastic rework into 2017 with a jazzed-up remix by Matt Pop (who recently did similar wonders for Nathalie Archangel’s Billboard charter “Unleashed”) as well as a lyric video. It’s a different take on the song from Bright Light Bright Light’s, but they go kind of hand-in-hand in inspiration.

So all of you lovers of that old “Raccoons” theme can immerse yourself with two solid throwbacks – both available at all digital stores.

The only thing scary about this Hallowe’en edition of the BILLCS Top 30 is that songs 4 to 18 are all bulleted, which means that songs are patiently waiting their turns to rise faster up the chart. You should also know that the BILLCS Top 30 is strictly my list of favourites and the rankings are purely subjective. Even better, these 30 songs form part of a regular 60 to 70 song playlist on my iPod – yes I have lots of faves even if they aren’t on the chart!

The Top 10

The Top 3 are some of my favourite songs of 2016, all holding steady, with Gramatik and Leo Napier once again holding court at #1 with the Jenaux remix of “Native Son Prequel” from Gramatik’s album Epigram. But will it stay on top next week or relinquish it to another song?

I don’t know when I’ve ever had two songs from Norway in my Top 10, but the first of those is “High” by Jesper Jenset in a punchy Young Bombs remix. It climbs 8-4 – will it be enough to get the song to the top in two weeks?

Songs #5 and #6 have been bookends for weeks and they continue to climb – Tritonal & Jenaux’s “Broken”, featuring Adam Lambert (ab0ve), giving NYC producer/remixer two songs in the Top 5 🙂 and Norwegian #2 Matoma & Becky Hill’s “False Alarm” (below – the Steve Void remix), which is at last making inroads at US Dance Radio.

Zipping into the Top 10 13-7 with eyes towards the top is “Plans” by Elephante featuring Brandyn Burnette, neither of whom are strangers to the Top 10 this year. Elephante’s “Closer” peaked at #3, while Brandyn has visited four times solo and once featured as part of Cosmos & Creature (his side project with Molly Moore), but first time as a featured solo artist!

Toronto’s Chet Porter brings his show back to home territory on Tuesday November 8 opening up for Lemaitre at the Velvet Underground. His current single “Stay”, featuring Chelsea Cutler, continues to move up, 10-8 🙂

Also new to the Top 10 are two tremendous slices of EDM: “In My Head” by Steve James featuring RKCB (above) rises 11-9, while “In The Name Of Love” by Martin Garrix & Bebe Rexha (below) leaps 14-10. It becomes Martin’s 4th Top Tenner following #1’s “Animals” and “Proxy” and #3 “Gold Skies”.

Movin’ On Up

It looks like Brandyn Burnette may land three times in the Top 10 in two weeks – which he has done before solo 🙂 – as “Closer” (from his EP State I’m In, above) glides 15-11 in a crunchy Sean Turk remix. He also features on Molly Moore’s hypnotic “Just A Dream” (below), which is the chart’s fastest riser, vaulting 20-13.

It’ll take a lot for me to get sick of Torontonian The Weeknd’s epic “Starboy”, featuring Daft Punk, which jumps 18-12.

Bright Light Bright Light and Scissor Sisters’ Ana Matronic climb 19-16 with “I Only Want To Please You” (above) from BLx2’s album Choreography. Not to be outdone, BLx2 follows it up with an EP of cover versions called Cinematography, featuring his rendition of Michael Sembello’s #1 song from the film “Flashdance”, “Maniac”, which you can hear below 🙂

Cole Plante looks to be headed for another Billboard Club Play #1 with “Teardrops” (featuring Bobi) as it approaches that chart’s Top 5. “Teardrops” swiftly moves up this chart 27-21 too!

The only appropriate Hallowe’en song on the chart is “Skeleton” by NYC’s Stefan Alexander, and I understand that a video is forthcoming 🙂 “Skeleton” climbs 28-22.

Three Debuts – Fun and Funky, Fun and Wacky, Fun and Dirty

L.A.-based producer/DJ Bobby Nourmand has outdone himself with a rework of one of his own songs. “D E E P In NY” takes his deep house instrumental “Deep” and adds fantastic fun and funky hip hop rhythm and rhyme courtesy of D.O.C. and Goodmorning. It’s a striking original all over again and bows on the chart at #25. Bobby has some fantastic news coming soon as well.

Halifax EDM artist Famba has a fun and wacky debut on this chart with “Right Here, Right Now” at #26. The extended version is a must hear for Famba’s long, enjoyable patter – point of reference for me is Eric Burdon & War’s “Spill The Wine”, combined with 90’s house rhythms similar to classics like “Push The Feeling On” and “The Bomb! (These Sounds Fall Into My Mind)”. It totally sustains its 7 minute length so check it out above!

The second song with hip hop sharing space with EDM is Convex & Titus’ “Bad Kids”, which unto itself is a pretty cool track. But creative Chicago remixer Snøwmass takes it several steps further making it even more fun and dirty. “Bad Kids” arrives at #27.

View the full BILLCS Top 30right here, and be sure to click on the photos to hear all of the songs.

Listen to the BILLCS Top 30 Songs on Spotify! Click on this link to take you there, and follow me on Spotify: BILLCS Top 30 Songs

Listen for me with my Pick of the Week at 2:20/6:20/10:20 AM/PM EST onhttp://www.planetradio.ca most days Monday through Sunday, and my flashbacks to a Toronto Top 10 of yesteryear Tuesday at 9pm EST!